Diplo-travel tales: Adventure in Morocco

The first day of the trip seemed to be going off without a hitch. I was late to the airport but knew that I’ll make my flight on the nick of time. Security was not too bad and they passed me through without hassle. I’m now just hanging out in the lounge, playing with my laptop, passing the time until my flight leaves. I love to people-watch whenever I’m in a public area. Maybe it is part of our training or simply out of habit borne of a curious mind; my husband and I are always aware of our environment wherever we are. There are three shady looking men who seem to be staring at me as I type. I’m a woman and I travel alone, maybe they find that strange. I would love to send you pictures of those people, but that would probably have been weird and would have drawn more attention to myself if I just popped out my blackberry phone camera to take snapshots of strangers.

Rooftop of Palais Namaskar

It might be a bit difficult to capture all of life’s realities while on a trip, but I know I can at least capture my own experience. A small comfort for me is that in my quest to contribute to society, I am not betraying anybody by trying to use them as a case study without their knowledge. Hopefully, somebody will read this and if one person’s mood can be brightened by my musings, then this is all worth it.

I don’t really have a poignant reason for penning this memoir; I just want to do something therapeutic for myself while leaving a trail of words that somebody might find entertaining.

One thing I’m sure of is that it is exciting for a woman to travel alone. It is a wonderful feeling having the sense of independence that travelling alone gives us, even if it is just going to a spa for the weekend. It doesn’t matter how far the destination or how mundane, when you travel by yourself as a woman it gives you an amazing sense of independence and everything tastes sweeter and the air feels nicer. I do have to say though, that the more unfamiliar the place, the more of a thrill it is. When you travel to a far land alone there are so many adventures to have, so much to add to your life’s notebook of experiences. The more confidence you show, the better the time. It truly matters what kind of attitude you take with the experience. The more courage you exhibit with each new experience, the more badges you allow yourself to wear. Every single trip that I take alone continues to feed my motto of ‘living on the edge,’ and I revel in it.

Being assigned at Washington, DC was an amazing experience.I have travelled with no problem through large parts of Europe and those little nooks included in travel warning advisories such as Cuba.

At the moment, I’m now at Reagan National Airport waiting for my flight to Morocco via Royal Air Maroc. Yes, I’m on my way to Morocco as I decided to take things up a notch. The spontaneity of not knowing exactly what the next destination holds can be sublime. I know I’m going to Morocco and I have an idea of the places I want to visit but there is no definite schedule and I am always open to experiencing everything the country has to offer.

Whenever I think about the passing of time that I can’t control, taking a leave for a trip alone can be very therapeutic. It can be just the thing to help me find myself and who I am becoming with each passing day. Women can get so caught up in being the caregiver; the mom, the doting wife, the career woman who keeps the office together, etc. There is another identity underneath all that, our own identity; our identity as independent women who have much to contribute to the world besides being all of those mentioned above.

Marrakech Downtown. I'm not good in taking pictures.

More women have found how healing travelling alone can be. It lets you relax and take everything in. It takes you away from making sure everybody else has everything to just making sure that your own needs are met. It lets you be more open with people and allows you to express yourself - it reacquaints you with you; who you are underneath all of the labels. To any woman who reads this, please remember that though reconnecting with yourself and finding your independence is a wonderful experience, it is not one to flaunt in every part of the world. If you familiarize yourself with the rules and traditions of your destination, then you can enjoy your independence with safety. Before embarking on an adventure, do check the travel.state.gov’s site for the latest advisories and that includes necessary health information, required vaccinations, customs and traditions; and do’s and don’ts.

to be continued…